provocative actions continued and quraish sent the muslims a note threatening to put them to death in their own homeland. those were not mere words, for the prophet [pbuh] received information from reliable sources attesting to real intrigues and plots being hatched by the enemies of islam. precautionary measures were taken and a state of alertness was called for, including the positioning of security guards around the house of the prophet [pbuh] and strategic junctures. ‘aishah [r] reported that allâh’s messenger [pbuh] lay down on bed during one night on his arrival in madinah and said: were there a pious person from amongst my companions who should keep a watch for me during the night? she (‘aishah [r]) said: we were in this state when we heard the clanging noise of arms. he (the prophet [pbuh]) said: who is it? he said: this is sa‘d bin abi waqqas. allâh’s messenger [pbuh] said to him: what brings you here? thereupon he said: i harboured fear (lest any harm should come to) allâh’s messenger [pbuh], so i came to serve as your sentinel. allâh’s messenger [pbuh] invoked blessings upon him and then he slept.[muslim 2/280; bukhari 1/404]

this state of close vigilance continued ceaselessly until the words of allâh were revealed saying:

"allâh will protect you from mankind."[al-qur'an 5:67]

here, the prophet [pbuh] peeped from the dome of his house asking his people to go away, and making it clear that allâh would take the charge of protecting him.[at-tirmidhi 2/130]

the prophet’s life was not the only target of the wicked schemes, but rather the lives and the whole entity of the muslims. when the madinese provided the prophet [pbuh] and his companions with safe refuge, the desert bedouins began to look at them all in the same perspective, and outlawed all the muslims.